A PROPOSED pay rise suggested by chiefs for rank and file officers fails to address the frontline\u2019s \u201ccrisis in morale and wellbeing\u201d, South Yorkshire Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
Chairman Steve Kent was speaking after the National Police Chiefs\u2019 Council said officers should receive a 4% increase in 2019\/20, followed by a pay freeze next year.<\/p>\n
The Police Federation of England and Wales, in a joint submission with the Superintendents\u2019 Association of England and Wales, meanwhile have recommended a 5% uplift this year, followed by 5% in both 2020\/21 and 2021\/22.<\/p>\n
Steve said: \u201cWe know there is a crisis in morale and wellbeing and this comes hand in hand with that in that officers are feeling the financial pinch. Cops are joining now on virtually the same amount of money as when I joined 16 years ago, which is ridiculous. So really if people are wanting to help address morale and wellbeing, while it is not all down to pay, cops need to feel more secure in the job and need to be rewarded for what they\u2019re doing. So it is disappointing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve said he was grateful for the Superintendents\u2019 Association support on the matter, after it issued a joint submission with the Police Federation.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cI welcome the 4% for this year that the chiefs have proposed and I think that would be satisfactory, but that needs to be followed up with a similar raise the following years going in. I think there\u2019s an element there that the NPCC are more interested in how much it\u2019s potentially going to cost rather than the positive effect it\u2019s going to have on cops.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before making their recommendations to the Government, the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) considers evidence from a number of organisations, including the Police Federation of England and Wales, the NPCC, the Superintendents\u2019 Association, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) and the Home Office.<\/p>\n
In the last few years, the pay recommendations made by the PRRB to the Home Secretary have been ignored, and a revised, lower pay award made to officers.<\/p>\n